Food, Glorious Food!

I spend a lot of money on groceries each week (don’t we all?) and, while I like to save money wherever possible, there are some products I’ll scrimp on, and others I won’t.

Like many parents, I’m concerned about things like added sugar, salt, chemicals, antibiotics and hormones in my food; certain items (especially produce) I try to buy organic for added peace of mind.

But over the past few weeks, I came across some fantastic ‘conventional’ products that my family loves and that I feel good about serving them. (And, no, this is not a sponsored post… just a round-up of some products that I personally love and think you might, too!)

1. Liberte Baby Yogurt
I had a few coupons to try this new product and was surprised at how yummy – yet relatively low in sugar – it is! My 6 year-old requests this for her school snack almost every day now – what a coup! And,  I can feel good about knowing it’s not only a healthy option, but – unlike almost every other yogurt out there – the single-serve containers are recyclable. That is HUGE in my books!
 

2. Maple Leaf Naturals ‘Raised Without Antibiotics’ Bacon
LOVE THIS! If I could eat bacon every day, I would… I love it that much. But, as with most things, moderation is the key. So when we *do* eat it, I want it to be good quality.

I’ve been impressed with all of the Country Naturals products I’ve tried so far, but am really impressed that Maple Leaf went so far as to make their bacon antibiotic-free. I will be buying this from now on!

3. Summer Fresh Sauces
I love Summer Fresh. It’s true… every product that I’ve ever tried from them is knock-your-socks-off, 5-star AMAZING. (The product that got me addicted? Artichoke & Asiago dip!) It’s kind of strange, because I’m actually convinced that each new product I try won’t *quite* live up to the last… but I’m wrong.
Every time.
I tried their 3 Peppercorn sauce a few weeks ago and was blown away. Then, I decided to try Red Thai Curry and was just as impressed. Even my husband thought this sauce was restaurant quality; that’s saying a lot! I’m really looking forward to trying their Butter Chicken sauce next…

4. Lean Cuisine Fresh Inspirations
Ok, here’s the deal – I usually hate microwave meals. But, when my blogger friend Lena put a call out for testers of Lean Cuisine’s new line, I thought “why not?”.  And now I’m hooked. 😉

The fact that they are easy on the waistline is nice, but in general, I eat them because they taste so darn good! I really like how the veggies stay crisp and there’s a good amount of meat or shrimp – they don’t skimp on the good stuff! (In case you’re wondering, my favourite is the Chili Lime Beef.) Shown at left, Roast Garlic Chicken.

5. This one isn’t really a product, but I had to share…
I love that Loblaws sources meat locally. I’ve found Canadian standards to be higher, in most cases, than in the U.S., so I appreciate that I’m getting 100% local, corn fed beef. (From what I’ve seen, they also stock local / Canadian poultry as well.)

As mentioned above, this is not a sponsored post – I simply love sharing great finds with my readers. Let me know if you try any of these products and, if so, what you think of them!